Archives and Collections

Monroe County Museum - Collections Division

About the Collections DivisionLocated on the second floor of the museum, the Collections Division is responsible for the access, care, and exhibition of the museum's documents and objects. The Collections Division also operates the museum's Research Room. The Research Room houses over 1,000 linear feet of archival and manuscript materials including maps, family papers, documents, photographs, and genealogy relating to Monroe County. Hundreds of students and researchers visit and use the Research Room each year. Genealogists will find obituaries, genealogies, cemetery indexes, and other items on Monroe County people. Copying and professional research services are available for a fee.

Research and Artifact Donation

To make an appointment to use the Research Room or make an archival or artifact donation to the Monroe County Museum, please contact Caitlyn Riehle, Curator of Collections, at 734.240.7794 or caitlyn_riehle@monroemi.org.

Genealogical Society of Monroe CountyFor additional assistance with geneaology, we recommend contacting theGenealogical Society of Monroe County. The GSMC archives are on the second floor of the museum and is open every Wednesday from 11 am to 4 pm.

Obituary SearchThis site is maintained by the Collections Division of the Monroe County Museum. It is a "work in progress" as obituaries are added on a weekly basis, and is an index to the obituary file housed at the Monroe County Museum. To use the search click on the link ONLINE SERVICES. (See above notice)

This file contains obituary notices dating back to the 1830s gleaned mostly from Monroe County, Michigan newspapers. Sometimes the reference is to a memorial card. Obituaries are not always very informative- some may be just a sentence stating someone has died.

The Monroe County Museum is not responsible for the accuracy or content of the obituaries nor for human error entering data.

The spelling of some names has changed over the years or the newspaper may misspell them, therefore it is recommended that various spellings be researched.

Although a lot of time has gone into this index and information has been checked and rechecked; death dates and dates of newspapers may also be inaccurate.

Copies of obituaries can be purchased from the Monroe County Museum. Fees are $1 each for the first five obituaries and 50 cents each for additional obituary.

To obtain a copy of an obituary please contact Caitlyn Riehle, Curator of Collections, by phone at 734.240.7794 or email at caitlyn_riehle@monroemi.org.